A former budget officer in Maguindanao province has been sentenced by the Sandiganbayan to a lengthy prison term, disqualification from government service and a helfty fine over irregularities he committed in the purchasing medical supplies in 2008 and 2009 from a nonexistent drug store.
The anti-graft court found Datu Ali Abpi, Al Haj guilty of corruption and sentenced him to eight to 12 years imprisonment, fine of P14.5 million and disqualification from employment in the government for life.
Abpi, the Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division said, violated Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in the procurement of P14.25 million worth medical supplies worth from Farmacia Minda in 2008 and 2009.
The court also ordered Abpi to return the P14.25 million used in the bogus purchases of medicines and other medical supplies.
Former provincial accountant John Estelito Dollosa Jr. and former provincial treasurer Osmeña Bandila, who are Abpi’s coaccused in the case were ordered arrested by the anti-graft court. Both are at large.
On the other hand, three of the original defendants, former provincial administrator Norie Unas, former officer in charge of the provincial engineer’s office Landap Guinaid, and provincial general services officer Kasan Macapendeg, died while the case was pending.
The illegal transactions happened during the term of former Maguindanao Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr. However, but the Ombudsman did not include him in the indictment because he died July 17, 2015 before the charges were filed in court.
The cases were filed after a special audit on Internal Revenue Allotment spending of Maguindanao totaling P80.207 million was conducted. About P65.96 million were supposedly paid to Henry Merchandising supposedly for food supplies, while P14.25 million in medicines were allegedly purchased from Farmacia Minda.
Abpi was convicted after the Ombudsman proved Henry Merchandise and Farmacia Minda did not exist and thus, the transactions could never have happened.
However, Abpi was only held liable for the transactions involving Farmacia Minda for not having signed any of the documents relative to the fake purchases from Henry Merchandising.
